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The Mermaid Christina Henry 9780399584046 Books

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The Mermaid Christina Henry 9780399584046 Books

The mermaid is caught in a fisherman’s net, but instead of taking advantage of the miraculous find, he lets her go. She is immediately intrigued by him and follows him home, forsaking her mermaid life for a life as a human and the man’s wife. They live happily ever after, until her husband dies, and she’s left all alone. Her character is intriguing, as she has become a part of two very different worlds. As a mermaid, she looks nothing like we would imagine, and she is strong and powerful. As a human, she is a woman who longs for the love of a family, but that comes to an end.
Her desire now is to travel the world and see the wonders of humans, but she’s practical and realizes that in order to do that, she needs money. From her cottage in Maine, she travels all the way to New York City after meeting with a man about becoming a part of the American Museum. She wants to show the world her kind and make money so she can live comfortably the way she wants. She is strong-willed and understands her value, but she is also cautious about those around her, unsure if she will ever be able to love or trust another human again.

And then there’s P.T. Barnum. There are so many aspects of this novel that are from history, and this man is one of them. One if his most popular attractions was the Feejee Mermaid, which was essentially the body of a dead monkey sewn onto the tail of a fish. It was grotesque, but it traveled the country as one of Barnum’s famous attractions. Henry takes this historical event and places a real mermaid in its stead, and she did it extremely well. But P.T. Barnum wasn’t known as a kind man, and he always put money before everything else, even the comfort of his exhibits. This is touched upon quite a bit in the story, as Amelia has many demands that would protect her own interests. Even in the end, despite his change in attitude a bit, Barnum is still a man who loves money and will do what it takes to make his name famous.

I really enjoyed this book, but I wish it was a bit longer. There were many aspects of the plot that could have been expanded a bit more, but other than that, this is a quick read that is light-hearted and fun. It even reads more like a fairy tale than a novel of this time. And the cover is simply GORGEOUS, so it will be welcome on my shelf! Definitely pick this book up if you’re into fairy tale-inspired stories!


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The Mermaid Christina Henry 9780399584046 Books Reviews

This is the sort of book I love, with a believable and detailed historical setting, marvelous well-fleshed out characters, and an intriguing dash of magic mixed in. Beyond the great concept, satisfying plot, and sweet love story, this novel also has depth...exploring women's oppression, cruelty to animals, and the consequences of capitalist greed run amok. Without doubt, this is a keeper, and I plan to reread it in the future.
This is the third Christina Henry novel that I've read, the first two being The Chronicles of Alice. Unlike The Chronicles of Alice, The Mermaid is NOT a fairy tale retelling. It's a semi-historical novel, retelling the Fiji mermaid hoax.

I liked bits and pieces of the novel - seeing the world through the eyes of Amelia was unique and wonderful. I enjoyed Amelia, Charity, and Caroline. The women and girls in this story are strong and fleshed out (as much as they can be in 316 pages).

The writing was lovely, but the plot felt rather flat. I didn't feel as if much happened. There was a lot of redundancy in the plot, if we're honest. Barnum and his character felt. . .not evil, but not normal. He felt like a by-the-numbers-"evil"-businessman. The love interest and the love story were woefully underdeveloped. A lot of this, as others have said, felt very rushed. The story just wasn't developed enough for me.
I liked the premise. I’ve so been wanting to read a good mermaid book. I agree with what some of the others said in that I was expecting more grittyness. It reads a lot like a fairy tale. If that’s what you’re looking for this is a 5 Star read. Either way not bad though.
The Mermaid is yet another beautiful novel from one of my favorite authors. After first hearing about it, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I, like many other readers, immediately thought we would be getting a retelling of The Little Mermaid in typical Christina Henry fashion. It surprised me to see that this novel would be a historical fiction tale with fantasy mixed in—but, whatever the story, I was here for it. Going in, I knew I would enjoy it, but it surpassed all of my expectations. It is a different style of story than Henry’s most recent works, but it retains all of the raw emotion, vivid backdrops and memorable characters, and that undercurrent of magic that becomes almost tangible.

In this novel, we watch the life of a mermaid named Amelia unfold—as she finds her freedom and her place in the human world. This journey begins when a fisherman accidently catches her in his net. He could not bear to keep her, so he set her free. But Amelia does not forget glimpsing the deep loneliness in his eyes. She realizes she could not stand letting him remain alone, so she found her escape from life in the ocean and transformed into a woman. And so the pair led a beautiful and happy married life together, until the fisherman was lost at sea.

Meanwhile, P.T. Barnum is looking for his next big exhibit to astound the public with, and he is determined to have it feature a mermaid. When he hears tales of a supposed mermaid living on a cliff by the sea, he is eager to find her. In his eyes, she is the exhibit that will ensure his riches and success. Though he agrees to Amelia’s terms—that she should be free to leave whenever she wishes—he doesn’t intend to keep his promise. There is no way he is going to let his most valuable treasure walk away.

I absolutely adored that this tale was based on historical events—events which I knew very little about prior to reading this. Being able to research P.T. Barnum and his American Museum on the side made my experience with the novel even more enthralling. The way that Henry so fluidly weaves magic into the lives that were real, the places that existed, is beyond brilliant and incredibly enchanting. I have never read a novel quite like this one, and Henry has the perfect style and voice to truly bring something like this to life.

I could talk for ages about Henry’s writing style in itself. Her words flow seamlessly, taking the reader over the pages with ease and leaving them not wanting to let go. The way she builds the settings so vividly and creates the tone and atmosphere with such strength pulls you right in—the sounds, the smells, the intensity of the emotion travel along with you. Her words transfer you into an entirely new place, one that is unique, yet comfortably familiar. I always feel so invested in her characters’ lives, and like I am such a part of their world. And this is how a bit of extra magic is created for us as readers.

There are important messages threaded throughout the events of the narrative as well. Amelia is a strong woman, and she is determined to be independent, no matter what anyone else says. From the very first time we meet her, she is searching for her freedom, and once she has it, she keeps it and holds her own. She doesn’t care what people think or about conforming to the pressures that society puts on women—it is unfamiliar to her, and she will not let her mind be changed by it. Due to being brought up and learning to be a woman under much different circumstances, Amelia has a remarkable insight into the importance of unapologetically being yourself and living the life that is healthiest for you.

As I said before, this novel was everything I wanted and so much more. The multi-dimensional narrative is a joy to get lost in. It is bitter and sweet, heartwarming and heartbreaking, aching with loneliness, longing, and love. This is a beautifully crafted work that will have you spellbound. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for everyone, but especially for those who love to get swept up in a fantastical yet thought-provoking tale.
The mermaid is caught in a fisherman’s net, but instead of taking advantage of the miraculous find, he lets her go. She is immediately intrigued by him and follows him home, forsaking her mermaid life for a life as a human and the man’s wife. They live happily ever after, until her husband dies, and she’s left all alone. Her character is intriguing, as she has become a part of two very different worlds. As a mermaid, she looks nothing like we would imagine, and she is strong and powerful. As a human, she is a woman who longs for the love of a family, but that comes to an end.
Her desire now is to travel the world and see the wonders of humans, but she’s practical and realizes that in order to do that, she needs money. From her cottage in Maine, she travels all the way to New York City after meeting with a man about becoming a part of the American Museum. She wants to show the world her kind and make money so she can live comfortably the way she wants. She is strong-willed and understands her value, but she is also cautious about those around her, unsure if she will ever be able to love or trust another human again.

And then there’s P.T. Barnum. There are so many aspects of this novel that are from history, and this man is one of them. One if his most popular attractions was the Feejee Mermaid, which was essentially the body of a dead monkey sewn onto the tail of a fish. It was grotesque, but it traveled the country as one of Barnum’s famous attractions. Henry takes this historical event and places a real mermaid in its stead, and she did it extremely well. But P.T. Barnum wasn’t known as a kind man, and he always put money before everything else, even the comfort of his exhibits. This is touched upon quite a bit in the story, as Amelia has many demands that would protect her own interests. Even in the end, despite his change in attitude a bit, Barnum is still a man who loves money and will do what it takes to make his name famous.

I really enjoyed this book, but I wish it was a bit longer. There were many aspects of the plot that could have been expanded a bit more, but other than that, this is a quick read that is light-hearted and fun. It even reads more like a fairy tale than a novel of this time. And the cover is simply GORGEOUS, so it will be welcome on my shelf! Definitely pick this book up if you’re into fairy tale-inspired stories!